Cocoa-Rubbed Ribeye with Whiskey Bacon Sauce #Choctoberfest

My fiance, Jeffrey, doesn’t eat beef often, but when he does, he almost always wants a ribeye steak. He was a bit skeptical when I told him that I was looking for a way to cook his favorite steak with chocolate for #Choctoberfest, but all doubts were forgotten when he ate his first bite of this cocoa-rubbed ribeye!

The cocoa powder gives the steak a rich flavor with a slightly bitter finish, which is offset perfect by the whiskey bacon sauce. Alone, the sauce tastes way too salty, but spooned over the steak, it is perfection.

Let me make a confession: until recently, I always ate my steak well done because that’s how my parents like their steak. I still can’t stomach rare steak, but these days (much to Jeffrey’s delight), I usually order my steak medium or medium well instead of well done. But I do like a good char on the outside, which is part of the reason I love this recipe.

If you haven’t already, make sure you enter our #Choctoberfest giveaway soon. We’re picking the winner in just a few days! Check out the list of recipes below to see what other #Choctoberfest bloggers are posting today.

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Cocoa-Rubbed Ribeye with Whiskey Bacon Sauce

Perfectly seared steak with a rich sauce

Total Time45minutes

Servings4steaks

Ingredients

2Tablespoonsunsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2Tablespoonspaprika

2teaspoonsbrown sugar

1/2teaspooncayenne pepper

1/2teaspoonblack pepper

4Ribeye steaks

3Tablespoonsbutter

4strips thick-cut bacon

1large leekchopped and cleaned

2tablespoonsflour

1/2cupwhiskey

1 1/2cupchicken broth

1/2cupheavy cream

1Tablespoonchopped parsley

Instructions

Whisk together the cocoa powder, paprika, brown sugar, cayenne pepper, and black pepper. Rub on steaks and set aside on counter, allowing the steaks to come to room temperature while you make the sauce.

Dice the bacon and cook in a large skillet until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon. Do not drain fat from pan.

Add the leeks and cook until soft. Sprinkle with flour and cook for one minute more, then remove from heat deglaze the pan with the whiskey. Bring to a simmer. You can ignite the alcohol so it burns off more quickly if you have a gas stove. Otherwise, allow to simmer until the whiskey reduces and the mixture begins to thicken, about 2-3 minutes.

Add chicken broth to the pan and bring back to a simmer. Allow to reduce slightly.

Whisk heavy cream into the mixture, then re-add the bacon and 1 tablespoon of butter. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low.

In separate pan, melt the butter over high heat, watching closely to make sure it doesn't burn. Add the steaks to the pan and sear until a crust forms on both side. Reduce heat and cook until steaks reach desired temperature.

Transfer steaks to cutting board and allow to rest for 3-5 minutes.

Still parsley into sauce.

Spoon sauce over steak to serve.

Recipe Notes

Sauce will be slightly salt on its own, but pairs nicely over the steak.